LAS VEGAS (AP) Trevor Brazile increased his record-setting gold buckle count to 21 during round three on Saturday at the National Finals Rodeo.
Brazile, of Decatur, Texas, also claimed his record-setting ninth straight all-around crown and now has won 12 of the last 13 world all-around titles. He trails only Guy Allen, who won 11 consecutive steer roping titles from 1991 to 2001, for most consecutive NFR titles.
Brazile clinched over runner-up Tuf Cooper of Decatur, Texas, when he placed second in team roping in 4.0 seconds with partner Travis Graves of Jay, Oklahoma, and finished fourth in tie-down roping. Brazile has earned $361,046 in 2014 compared to $163,441 for Cooper. Brazile has tallied five checks in six tries while Cooper is 1 for 3 in this year's event.
Brazile secured his record-breaking 20th gold buckle when he won the steer roping championship on Nov. 8 in Mulvane, Kansas.
''This is awesome,'' Brazile said. ''Every time that number gets bigger it gets harder to believe. I never expected anything like this, so it almost doesn't seem real.
''I think they (world titles) mean more to me the older I get. It seems like my competition gets younger every year. That's why I keep enjoying it more. At some point, there's going to be a changing of the guard. So every gold buckle means more as time marches on.''
In tie-down roping, six-time world champion Cody Ohl of Hico, Texas, came within 0.1 seconds of breaking his arena record of 6.5 set in 2003 by winning round three in 6.6. He did, however, surpass his own round-three record time of 6.7, which he set in 2013.
Ohl also increased his record of career round tie-down roping wins to 50 at NFR.
Cooper, a two-time world champion, is first in the world standings with $158,726 after placing fifth in 7.6 for round three. Brazile placed fourth in 7.4 and remained second in the world standings with $131,854. Brazile, however, is now first in the aggregate standings with a time of 22.8 for three rounds.
Defending world champion Shane Hanchey of Sulphur, Louisiana, tied for second with a time of 7.2.
In barrel racing, Fallon Taylor of Whitesboro, Texas, took over the world standings lead with $161,813 after placing third in round three in a time of 14.05.
Kaley Bass of Kissimmee, Fla., who didn't place among the top six with a time of 14.20, is now second with $160,183. Lisa Lockhart of Oelrichs, South Dakota, is third at $148,588 after finishing fourth in 14.07.
NFR rookie Kassidy Dennison of Tohatchi, New Mexico, won the third round in a time of 13.94 and is now the NFR aggregate standings leader with a time of 42.84 for three rides.
Defending world champion Sherry Cervi of Marana, Arizona, didn't place among the top six with a time of 19.20. Her streak of 12 consecutive rounds with earning a check came to a close.
In bareback riding, Justin McDaniel of Porum, Oklahoma, won the third round with an 89 on Delta Ship. McDaniel also rode Delta Ship to a share of the Thomas & Mack Center arena record of 91.5 during the third round in 2007.
''(I thought) that I had a chance to break the record, win the round, and that it was all up to me,'' McDaniel said. ''I knew the horse would do his part. I just wanted to stay calm, be confident and have fun.''
Four-time world champion Bobby Mote of Culver, Oregon, finished third with an 82.5 on Big Easy. He is just $23,214 away from becoming the sixth individual to earn $1 million in NFR competition.
Kaycee Feild of Spanish Fork, Utah, a three-time world champion who is in first with $195,370, tied for fifth with a 78 on Tom Dooley. Steven Peebles of Redmond, Oregon, who also didn't place among the top six with a 68.5 on Craig at Midnight, remains second with $145,932.
McDaniel now leads the NFR aggregate standings with 255.5 points for three rides.
In steer wrestling, NFR rookie Kyle Irwin of Robertsdale, Alabama, made it two consecutive victories with a time of 3.2 in round three. After three rounds, Irwin is in first place in the NFR aggregate standings with a time of 10.9.
Four-time world champion and Luke Branquinho of Los Alamos, California - who tied Irwin for tops in the second round - placed third at 3.9 and moved up from fourth to second in the world standings with $107,521 in earnings.
Nick Guy of Sparta, Wisconsin, who has earned $113,001 and is first in the standings, placed fifth in 4.2 for round three.
Trevor Knowles of Mount Vernon, Oregon, has dropped from first to fourth in the world standings after three rounds. He has earned $96,707 in 2014.
In team roping, header Dustin Bird of Cut Bank, Montana, and heeler Paul Eaves of Lonedell, Missouri, won round three in a time of 3.9. Header Clay Tryan of Billings, Montana, and heeler Jade Corkill, of Fallon, Nevada, tied for third in 4.2 and remained first in the world standings.
Header Turtle Powell of Stephenville, Texas, and heeler Dakota Kirchenschlager of Morgan Mill, Texas, who won the first two rounds, didn't place among the top six in round three.
Powell is fourth in the header world standings while Kirchenschlager is fifth among heelers. They still lead the NFR aggregate standings with a time of 17.0 for three rounds.
In saddle bronc riding, Wade Sundell of Boxholm, Iowa, took first with an 87 on Low Bucks.
Cort Scheer of Elsmere, Nebraska, who didn't place with a 77 on Nickels & Dimes, remains second in the standings, close behind leader Taos Muncy of Corona, New Mexico, who scored 76 on Fraid Knot in round three.
Muncy remained first in the world standings while Scheer stayed first in the aggregate standings with 246 points for three rides.
In bull riding, Sage Kimzey of Strong City, Oklahoma won round three with a score of 84.5 on Line Man. Kimzey is attempting to become the second bull rider to win the world championship during his rookie season.
